Daunting Fires (Completed)

13- Agreements

"You're a very rare individual." I look up and shake my head angrily.

"I'm also supposed to be killed if word spreads. Is that what you're gonna do? Tell a leader?"

She shakes her head no. "A week ago, I got a letter that said I could be tested for leadership." She pauses. "I won't tell anyone, and if I make leadership, I can even help people like you." Her dark eyes look back up at me.

I knot my eyebrows together. Too much is happening. "Why? Why not tell? Why even help?" I stare at the dark blue sky out her window wall. Tori must be a control freak because her whole apartment is clean and well... tamed. Nothing bright really catches my eye. Then, a thought sparks.

"Are you- do you have the same thing as me?" I twist around my words because I don't want to say Divergent. It feels like I lost my right to say that word freely.

"No." She moves her long, dyed black hair away from her face. Half her hair is made in rows of braids until it parts.

"My brother was Divergent. They...." Tori looks like she's trying to remember something. "They... Well you sure as hell don't want to be caught." They killed him. I shudder slightly.

After a couple minutes of silence, Tori says, "you can't tell anyone. You chose to live in a faction that physically exhausts you to get you ready to protect Chicago. If they find out you're Divergent, they'll probably shred you." I feel anxiety set into my stomach. I don't think I'll ever be free from this anxiety, not until I die.

"Dalia, you're an extremely rare Divergent. You have a slight percentile of Amity in you but you also had Dauntless. They think you're mentally ill..." How is that even possible? How can I have a bit of Amity in me?

"Because I qualify for two very different factions?" She nods.

"I need to let this set in." Tori nods and gets up as I do. So much has happened in the past twenty minutes that I can't comprehend.

"Just remember. Don't tell anyone. Not even the ones you trust most," Tori says as I exit her place. The gray hallways are cold and it gets colder when Tori closes her door.

I need to go to Cece and Jared. I have to act like everything is normal.
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I look past the black draped curtains that lead into the bar. It's filled with people and a loud noise. I see Cece's short blonde hair at the counter so I walk towards her.

"Are you over sixteen?" A man with a buzz cut and dragon tattoos covering his scalp stops in front of me. His eyes are a fierce green and he looks young.

"She's with us. Of course she's over sixteen." A lean, brunette guy with large hazel eyes takes my arm with his tan hand and brings me to Cece, Jared and Trix. He must be Trix's brother. I'm actually not over sixteen. But I'm not candor so I can live with that lie.

"Dalia! What took you so long? You took forever!!" Cece pats the seat next to her and I sit in it. "That's Darin." She nods towards a boy with blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Hey," I say shyly. He returns a sweet smile, shows off his adorable dimples, and waves. He looks boyish although his somewhat bulky arms. He has a tattoo of a fire on his right arm.

"And I'm Jake, this little brat's brother," Jake rubs Trix's head.

"Jake! Stop it, stupid! I want to look good," Trix pushes him away. "Why does she not have a drink yet?! Hello, bartenders? Do your job!" I realize that everyone has an alcoholic drink but me.

"What's it gonna be?" The man that stopped me at the entrance asks now over the loudness that pounds through the air.

"Uhhh...." I have no idea what I'm supposed to say so Jared talks for me. "Give her a 'Black Flower'." I think "Black Flower" is a silly name for a drink until the bartender shows up. He gives me a bottle filled with black liquid. It makes me nervous that I can't see the through the bottle.

"Go on. Try it," Jake says. I try to focus on the rhythm that blasts in the air. I take a sip from the bottle and it burns like hell as it slides down my throat. I nearly throw up before I swallow the alcohol. That would've been embarrassing.

"It's bad at first but it gets better," Darin loudly whispers into my left ear. I look at him and smile. "So, you're new here huh?" I nod as I sneak a peak at his broad shoulders. "How's it going for you?"

Well, except for the fact that I'm supposed to be killed, I'm doing great. "It's ok," I shrug. We look at each other for a few seconds and Cece slurs something to my right. I think she's drunk. I can't seem to turn so I keep looking at Darin.

He gives a half smile and looks down. "What?" I smirk back.

"You wanna dance?" He asks me. I nod, trying not shake with nervousness and excitement. I've never danced with anyone before.

I realize something. The rhythm pounding through the bar is music. It's music. I laugh at myself as I let my eyes close and hands rise up like everyone else's. I was so used to hearing classical music in Erudite that I forgot there are other types of music.

"What song is this?" I yell to Darin, who's drinking from a bottle. He's so close that when he looks down at me, I forget what I asked. I look past his shoulder and I see Cece and Jared dancing. They look really close.

"It's called 'Spectrum' I think. Like it?" I nod and then he smiles back. Darin hands me the bottle and I drink gulps from it. The burning feeling in my throat is starting to be something I enjoy. The alcohol makes me feel more alive.

I close my eyes and move to the song. We're all jumping in the dark with only some electric colored lights flashing around. I open my eyes to drink some more. I look up and see Darin way close to me now. He looks so much bigger up close. Thankfully, I feel confident enough to dance with him. Then, he starts touching my hip and bringing me even closer. I barely know Darin, but I don't care. I just care about right now.

Am I drunk?

Then, Darin and I stop jumping in the crowded place that has gained even more people. I feel someone's arm push my back. I fall into Darin and he catches me. I laugh even though I'm annoyed. I take a swig from the bottle. The song changes and Darin takes my hand and pulls me through the crowd of people. We reach the far wall across from the entrance, now hidden by bodies of dancing gorillas.

Gorillas? People. I think I'm wasted. I'm starting to feel sick and my head pounds. Darin pushes me against the wall and I let him. He places his mouth on mine and feverishly kisses me. Everything is now spinning faster than before. I put my hand on the back of his neck to bring him closer. His hand grazes my thigh as his tongue gains access to my mouth. He tastes like "Black Flower". But I swear there's another taste.

It's almost like... chocolate cake? I push his chest away, making us both gasp for air. I look up but still can't see him well. "Darin?" For a split second, a light lands on his eyes. Dark grey.

"Shut up. We can forget about it tomorrow," Eric whispers lowly as he puts his mouth to mine again. I don't argue.

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:O!!!! Does Eric know what he's doing or is he drunk too?!

Well anyways, the song in the bar is "Spectrum" by Zedd. Hope it was fun to read this chapter.
-DL1